PROVIDENCE, R.I. – November 29, 2011 – The Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) has received a collection of 337 pieces of travel ephemera and guidebooks donated by Peter L. Rothholz, a syndicated travel writer with extensive prior career experience in travel and tourism.
“This acquisition, together with other gifts, will greatly enhance our permanent collection devoted to “Food on the Move” by expanding it to include tourism, travel and hospitality,” said Richard Gutman, director and curator at the Culinary Arts Museum. The collection, which includes materials in English, French and German dating from 1876 to 1981, is also being used as a research resource for the university’s students.
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The collection covers nearly all modes of transportation: automobile, airlines, trains, trolleys, buses and cruise ships that have traveled all over the world. Some of the pieces deal with specific destinations – from the Roman Baths in Bath, England, to the Catacombs in Rome, Italy – while others are more generalized and relate to a whole country or area. A significant amount of material, however, relates to travel and tourism in Europe prior to 1940, with the period between the two World Wars of special interest. The ‘Round the World Traveller: A Complete Summary of Practical Information, by D. E. Lorenz, Ph.D., for example, was published in 1929 and How to Prepare for Europe by H. A. Guerber came to market in 1909.
Peter Rothholz, a resident of East Hampton, N.Y. and Santa Monica, Calif., headed his own public relations firm, which represented government tourist offices, cruise lines, airlines, hotels and tour operators. Prior to founding his firm, he had been an executive with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Since his retirement, he has become a syndicated travel writer.
“I started collecting travel memorabilia in the late ‘50s when one of my responsibilities was creating promotional literature. As a History major, I wondered how those who preceded me created similar materials and began searching for ‘treasures’ wherever I traveled,” said Mr. Rothholz. “I am glad my collection has found a permanent home at an institution that really cares about quality travel and tourism education.”
Mr. Rothholz was born in pre-World War II Berlin. He emigrated to England and traveled to the U.S. on a troop transport immediately after the end of the war in Europe. He received a B.A. in History from Queens College and completed graduate studies in marketing at New York University. He also studied at McGill University in Canada and the University of London. He became a U.S. citizen and during the Korean War served in the U.S. Army in Germany with “top secret” clearance.
Images available upon request. Further details and appointments to research the collection are available by contacting Erin Williams at the Culinary Arts Museum: erin.williams@jwu.edu.
Johnson & Wales University, founded in 1914, is a nonprofit, private institution. A recognized leader in career education, it offers accredited degrees in business, hospitality, culinary arts, technology and education to more than 17,000 graduate and undergraduate students, representing all 50 states and 93 countries. By integrating academics and professional skills, related work experiences, leadership opportunities and career services, JWU prepares driven students who are seeking a competitive advantage in the global economy. Its 85,000 alumni from 140 countries pursue careers around the world. The university is committed to urban revitalization and thoughtful historic renovation. Through active civic participation and unique learning opportunities, JWU improves the quality of life in its campus communities in Providence, R.I.; North Miami, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Charlotte, N.C. For more information visit www.jwu.edu.
CONTACT:
JWU Communications & Media Relations: Lisa Pelosi (401-598-1848) lisa.pelosi@jwu.edu
Culinary Arts Museum: Richard Gutman (401-598-2805) richard.gutman@jwu.edu
